Be Calm
by Xazz
Summary: Altair visits Connor at his godfather's over the summer where Connor goes hunting. Altair really isn't a fan of nature though, but more importantly he isn't a fan of bears. -oneshot-


If there was one thing Altair would readily admit to it was that he was a city kid. He'd been born in city, raised in a skyscraper and would gladly die in a city. To him 'woods' were trees in and around the parks. He hadn't seen mountains until he was in high school let alone a real forest. To Altair nature was a far off and foriegn thing he only heard about or saw on TV and he was happy to keep it that way. Nature sucked.

And yet here he was in the middle of nowhere, wearing a camo jacket to keep the light rain off him, in the forest with Connor. Unlike Altair Connor like nature. He liked the woods and hiking and fishing in rivers. Most of all though Connor liked hunting. Apparently he used to go hunting a lot with his mom before her accident and his dad didn't have much of a taste for it. He was allowed to go hunting in the summer with his godfather, Achilles, though and this time Connor had half dragged Altair along.

Altair had his arms folded, trying really hard not to be miserable. Rain made a soft drummping on his billed hood and he was trying to be a good sport about the entire thing. The only cool part about visiting Connor out here in the middle of nowhere was his godfather's giant house. The house was literally the only good part there, other than Connor of course. There was no internet, no TV, Altair didn't even get cell phone service out here. He was honestly thankful there was running water. He was only here for a week; he could handle it. Then he'd be able to go back to civilization.

Connor was way more into it than he was, obviously, and was walking in front, his footsteps light on the damp leaves and twigs. He had a hunting bow with him and strapped next to his backpack was a tube of arrows. Connor said he liked using a bow better, was quieter, and didn't make as much of a mess. Altair just wanted to see him actually use the damn thing. Apparently they were tracking a deer, or something. Altair was just cold and damp and wanted to go home. He was regretting saying yes to Connor when Connor asked if he wanted to visit.

Connor stopped and crouched, Altair stopped as well and tried to see what Connor saw, but the rain was in the way. He must have seen something though cause Connor drew back his bow and fired after five seconds. "Damn," he muttered when something scrambled and Altair finally saw the deer; it was running away, an arrow lodged in it's back leg.

"You'll get the next one," Altair said, the rain was cold and he was shivering a little.

Connor frowned at him, "I'll get that one," he said.

"Don't want it to suffer?" Altair asked.

Connor nodded, "If I don't get it a bear or mountain lion will," and he got up and started after the direction the deer had. "Achilles said he wanted some veneson though."

"Uhg. So you're literally eating what you catch."

"Yeap," Connor nodded.

"How are you going to get it back to the house?" he asked as they got to where the deer had been.

"I'll head back to the jeep, bring it back here, we'll strap it to the hood."

Altair stared at the back of Connor's head, "You're such a fucking red neck Connor," Altair said.

"Not wearing a trucker hat yet," Connor said, one his rare, slight, smiles coming to his face.

"Give it time I'm sure. One day you're going to come back from summer break with a trucker hat and a plaid, flannel, shirt."

"Ew," Connor said, Altair chuckled. "Shh shh," he shushed Altair and drew another arrow, Altair hung back a bit as Connor got low to the ground and crept towards some high grass. There was a soft twang as he loosed the arrow. Altair didn't know deers made noise, but this one did and scrambled through the brush before there was silence. "Got it that time," the only joy in Connor's voice was in a task done well and seen through to completion, he took no joy in the kill itself.

"So what I'm just gonna stay here?" Altair asked as he followed Connor over to the deer. It was stag with an impressive rack of antlers.

"Yeah, just be easier than taking you back," cause it was up a big hill and while Altair was in shape climbing hills was like climbing stairs and could wind just about anyone not used to them. "So just stay with the deer, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Just don't leave me here," Altair said.

Connor grinned at him a little, "Of course not," he squeezed Altair's shoulder, then he put his bow across back and started off towards the jeep. In moments he was lost in the rain and mist.

Altair looked down at the dead deer, "Guess its just you and me huh?" and then he sighed. He was talking to a fucking dead deer. He hunked down, trying to make himself as small a target for the drizzle as possible and pressed his cheek against his knee miserably. He wanted to go home. Or at least back to the house and take a warm shower and put on some warm clothes and have Achilles make him some of that coffee he made that would seriously put some hair on your chest.

A few minutes passed when he heard something behind him. He straightened up instantly and looked around warily. There was nothing. Another thing Altair hated about the woods; they were scary as fuck. Nearly every horror movie Malik made him suffer through was set in the woods or around the woods. Malik was imune to horror but Altair was still kinda scared of the dark, and definetly afraid of houses in the suburbs and petrified of cabins in the woods. He could handle gore just fine, but Altair didn't like being surprised or startled or scared.

And now he was alone.

In the woods.

And things around him was rustling and he couldn't see what was making the noise.

He swallowed and pulled his hood down in an attempt to hear better, but other than the rustling all he heard was the rain. "Connor?" he asked. Man where was that guy? He wanted Connor to show up right now with the jeep, but it didn't come.

Altair went totally rigid as some foliage shuttered and a black bear lumbered out from it, grunting and sniffing. His eyes went wide. What was he supposed to do with a bear! He started to back away slowly and the bear kinda roared at him. Oh man this wasn't what he wanted to happen at all. Did you run from bears? How did you make them go away! The bear sniffed at the dead deer and then sniffed in Altair's direction and kinda got up onto two legs. As if it wasn't completely terrifying enough the bear was bigger than him on two legs. He forgot anything he was supposed to do when confronted with a bear and just turned around and booked it in the direction of the jeep.

"Connor!" he yelled as he ran and yeah, the bear was definetly chasing him. "Connor!" shit where the hell was that guy and his fucking jeep? Altair glanced over his shoulder, the bear was gaining on him. Oh that was so not good. "Connor!"

He wasn't looking where he was going as he started to head up a hill and his foot snagged an exposed root. His face ate dirt and for a second he was stunned. He rolled over quickly and started to scramble up the hill like a crab, kicking up forest debris as he did. The bear continued towards him, now lumbering, seeing its prey wasn't going as fast now. Altair didn't even know if his ankle hurt, he was just focused on trying to scramble up the damn hill and away from the bear.

He sort of heard something behind him, the bear stopped, guffed at Altair and Altair winced when a shotgun went off behind him. It didn't hit the bear but it did scare the bear away, it looked at Altair, looked behind him, then decided it wasn't worth it and turned around to flee.

The bear gone Altair seemed to melt into the ground, his heart was in his throat and his breath was rapid. He looked back a bit and saw the jeep, Connor had put the shotgun away and came over to Altair. "Are you okay?" Connor asked, kneling next to Altair, looking worried since Altair had decided to become a pancake on the forest floor.

Altair looked at Connor, "I hate nature," he whined and Connor suddenly hugged him. Connor Don't-Touch-Me Kenway actually hugged him, so tightly Altair felt his ribs start to hurt a bit.

"That was a bear," Connor said, he seemed about half as scared as Altair, and Altair was pretty much unable to deal with what had just happened because… well he'd just been chased by a bear! "Are you okay?" he asked again.

"Twisted my ankle," Altair groaned, now that the adrenaline was wearing off he could feel his ankle and it hurt really badly.

"You'll be fine then," Connor said and then hugged him again, Altair hugged him back this time, because he needed this hug. Connor held him for a long time it seemed like and Altair was just glad he was there because he'd almost been eaten by a bear and was happy to not be some animal's lunch. "Can you stand?" Connor asked once he kinda let Altair go.

"I think so," Altair said and Connor helped him to his feet. He couldn't put a lot of weight on his foot and Connor helped him to the passenger side. "I'm really glad you came when you did," Altair said, sitting with his feet outside the car.

"Me too," Connor said, he just kept touching Altair, like he wanted to make sure he was okay. Considering Connor wasn't a touchy-feely kinda guy it was kinda a big deal that Connor was willingly putting his hands on someone else. "Any later and-" he didn't finished and they both sat there thinking about it. Any later and Altair would have been bear chow. "I think we're done with the hunting trips for you Altair," he said, trying to be serious and not freaked out. He was keeping it together pretty well, Altair was just glad he wasn't having a break down right now, which would be totally in the right for him since he'd almost been eaten, or at the very least maimed.

"Think my foot decided that for me already," Altair said.

"Yeah," Connor said, "I'm just… glad you're okay," and he pressed his open hand to the side of Altair's neck.

"Trust me I am too," Altair said.

"No I mean I… am really glad you're okay," and Altair started, sitting up a bit straighter when Connor kissed him. It was a really sweet kiss too and mainly because why the hell not Altair kissed him back. He'd had worse kisses in his life and he kinda needed it, after what had happened. Altair wrapped his arms around Connor's shoulders even as they came up for air. "Uh… yeah," Connor swallowed and looked down at Altair's knees.

"Wanna go out?" Altair asked him

Connor looked up at him, surprised, and now red faced, "Yeah," he said, "… you sure?"

"Well why wouldn't I want to go out with someone who saved me from a bear?" Altair asked and laughed and the fact he could laugh at it was good. Connor just smiled, one of his big smiles you rarely ever saw, and kissed Altair again.

"Ah…" Connor said awkwardly when they parted, "We should probably go get that deer."

"If it's still there," Altair said and sat in the seat right, being gentle with his twisted ankle.

"It should be, we aren't that far," Connor said and closed the door, walking around the driver's seat. "Though, if it's gone, not a big deal. I'll just get another one. Once I get you back to the house though," he said seriously.

"Good, my ankle is killing me."

"Deer first, then back to the house."

"Okay," Altair said as Connor put the jeep into drive to start down the hill again. Altair looked at Connor and just looking at him made him blush, Altair smiled. Maybe the rest of this trip wouldn't be so bad.


End file.
